Effective eLearning Devices – Tools to Impart Corporate Training

Take a look at the learning devices used to impart training – whether product training, process training or application training. These devices involve the learner intellectually, emotionally and physically. Each device has a unique objective.

Scenarios: A scenario situates the learner as listener or observer of an unfolding story wherein the story deals with a possible situation involving decision or action.

Role Play: This is similar to a scenario but involves the learner in actively making a set of decisions based on a situation.

Reflection: A reflection prompts the learner to think and leads him or her to self-awareness about his behavior and thought.

Practice Test: It tests a learner’s knowledge or application of it.

Reckoner: Provides an overview of key ideas, concepts, etc, in a concise way, either textually, visually or both.

Screenshots of some of our custom courses

Testimonials:Exposes the learner to the view point of a real or imaginary character.

Branching Narrative: It is similar to a scenario but involves a basic storyline that branches off into independent scenarios which might eventually be tied together as a moral.

Information: Information is presented in a direct manner.

Job Aid: It assists in on-the-job transfer of learning through a Just-Enough snapshot of key learning.

What did you think of this information? Do share your thoughts with me on the same.

I try to offer scenarios that most of my trainees can relate to. The main job aid that I currently use is handouts. I believe that they are a great way to deliver the information and hold trainees’ attention during lectures or presentations. Typically they come in the form of crossword puzzles, PowerPoint slides, writing assignments, or informational sheets.

There are many aids to learning, both physical: such as communication instruments; and mental: such as training methods and lesson plans.

An impediment to learning is a lack of confidence, or a failure syndrome. The brain is not going to readily accept the input of new learning if it is immersed in an emotionally blocked state of inner criticism.

For instance, if I happen to be teaching a new student, who may be a small child, Self Defense. All of their body language radiates a lack of confidence, and also they may be looking at Black Belt teachers who are large adults. Through self-belittlement and fear their mind gives up on the task of learning before they even start any normal training.
Therefore I boost their confidence by teaching some simple devastating techniques, easy to do, astounding results. Such as throwing adults heavily by using just two fingers and nerve pressure points. When they do this, suddenly their mind realizes their own power, they are not helpless any more, and intrigued and exited, they thirst to learn more. Their mind is now open to the intimidating world, to explore it undaunted, striding forth as a newly made warrior, and not cringing away as a victim.
For some students of physical subjects, the mind needs to be engaged and attitude changed prior to the body being ‘taught’ by the physical exercises.

Repetition of the lessons given aids the learning. But there is only so much time in class to learn and too much repeating in class would narrow the amount of material that could be covered. So the student must go home and study on their own. To assist this I give out Handouts. The Handouts not only include study material, but also notes and suggestions on HOW to study it.

Storyline Learning:
One of the ancient forms of combat that I do utilizes Storyline Teaching to train students. The art has many techniques, but they are all encapsulated and expressed in following an ancient story. Just as cultural dances, opera, ballet all show their magic through story telling. As the interesting story is remembered: so too are the techniques that weave it together. Like in the living cell where RNA copies from a DNA mother-strand of molecular information and the magical moments of life result. For this specific art there are also moral lessons of fighting evil, of persevering against stronger forces, of finding one’s strong inner self; of, whatever one is doing, to remain aware of the surrounding environment and the changes that occur within it. As when within your local environment, the objects and people it change, that needs to be noticed as there may then need to be a corresponding change in yourself. What you cannot see or perceive, you cannot do.

These methods can be extended and modified in other subject training such as business strategies.

The most important principle for designing lively eLearning is to see eLearning design not as information design but as designing an experience. – Cathy Moore

It is common knowledge that learner engagement plays a critical role in the success of an eLearning course. How can you design a wonderful online course that leaves your learners spell-bound? What does it take to make an excellent course that not only trains your people very effectively but also captivates them?

You can create a first-rate eLearning course by focusing on 6 key aspects. Let us see what they are and why they are important.

Hope you find this post interesting. How do you make sure that your elearning courses are highly engaging? We’d love to know.

An increasing number of companies are using gamified eLearning courses to impart top-notch training to their staff members. According to a report by Gartner, by 2015, 50% of organizations managing innovation processes will gamify aspects of their business. But, how can you create an effective gamified e-learning course? What are the aspects you need to consider? Let us see.

Scenario-based online learning courses help learners involve in learning as they can relate themselves with the situation. Scenarios can be used to present real life situations that the learners are likely to face in their job role and improve their problem-solving skills.

People expect to be bored by eLearning. Let’s show them it doesn’t have to be like that! – Cammy Bean

It is well-known that learner engagement plays a critical role in the success of a self-paced eLearning course. So, how can you ensure that your online course captivates your people? What are the aspects you need to focus on to leave your learners spellbound? How can you design the perfect eLearning course that creates learner delight? Well, here is an info-graphic that lists 5 tips to hook your learners to your eLearning course.

E-learning has now become a global phenomenon. Designing an eLearning course that engages the adult learner is a challenge. Here, I would like to share a recipe for designing eLearning courses that helps you overcome the challenge.

Checklists play a crucial role in our everyday lives. We have checklists for groceries, laundry and even at work. We make checklists to make sure that we don’t miss out anything. As instructional designers, we do have the occasional checklist we refer to while we review the final course. However, at times, it may be too late to have a checklist at this stage.

One of the challenging tasks of instructional designers is to keep learners engaged throughout an eLearning course. Scenarios can be one of the many ways to keep learners connected with an eLearning course.

I believe that (the) educational process has two sides – one psychological and one sociological. . . Profound differences in theory are never gratuitous or invented. They grow out of conflicting elements in a genuine problem. – John Dewey, In Dworkin, M. (1959) Dewey on Education

It is common knowledge that effective training goes a long way in enhancing the performance of the workforce. Many organizations are using eLearning to equip their people with the needed knowledge and skills as the online training medium is cost-effective and offers unparalleled flexibility to the learner.

Content chunking is an important step in the process of developing an eLearning course. As an instructional designer, it’s important to break long strings of information into understandable chunks and delete extraneous data. When the content is divided into small chunks, learners find it easy to understand. Content chunking also helps improve their working memory. It helps the learners retain longer and recall it effectively.